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Sharon Kinne murders her husband, her boyfriend’s wife, and a man she met in Mexico.
CASE DETAILS On March 19, 1960, a sheriff’s deputy in Independence, Missouri, was summoned by a distraught Sharon Kinne, then 20-years-old. Sharon’s husband, James, had been shot once in the back of the head. A .22-caliber target pistol was in plain sight. There was no sign of a struggle. 25-year-old James Kinne died on the way to the hospital.  Kinne’s husband was fatally shot The next day, Kinne was interviewed by detectives. She said James was in the bedroom cleaning his pistol while she was in the bathroom putting on makeup. James laid down for a nap. Danna, their 2-year-old daughter, wandered into the bedroom and picked up the gun, fired one shot, and killed her father. At the time, James R. Browning was the chief of police of Merriam, Kansas:
Even though Kinne herself seemed credible, Browning says police did have trouble believing a 2-year-old had fired the fatal shot:
James Hays is the author of the book, “The Sharon Kinne Story.” He says Kinne was a master confabulator:
 Kinne charmed the jury and was acquitted The insurance company bought into Sharon Kinne’s story as well, to the tune of $200,000. Kinne used the money to pay cash for a new convertible, and allegedly had an affair with the married man she bought it from. James Hays says it was just business as usual:
But the salesman apparently had no intention of leaving his family, even though Kinne told him she was pregnant. So Kinne called the salesman’s wife, Patricia Jones, and said she was the sister of a woman who was having an affair with her husband. Patricia agreed to meet Kinne, but then never made it home the night they met.  Kinne’s boyfriend found the body The next day, Kinne herself volunteered to help in the search. She got some help from yet another lover, a man named John Boldisz. They drove around looking for Patricia Jones. According to John, Kinne suggested that they end that evening at a popular lover’s lane. While there, Kinne noticed something in the grass and asked John to investigate. James Hays:
Kinne asked John not to tell the police that she was with him when he found the body. But according to James Hays:
 The murder weapon was found in Mexico Prosecutors wasted no time. Kinne was charged with the murder of Patricia Jones, and also of her husband, James. Across Missouri, Sharon Kinne became a household name. The Patricia Jones murder trial was first. James Hays says Kinne easily charmed the all-male jury:
 Age progressed photo of Sharon Kinne But Kinne’s trials were not over. She still faced the charge of killing her husband, James. The star witness for that prosecution was none other than Sharon’s former boyfriend, John Boldisz. He testified that Sharon had once offered him $1,000 to kill her husband. This time, Kinne was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. But in March of 1963, the Missouri Supreme Court overturned her conviction on a legal technicality. Sharon Kinne was released on a $25,000 bond, pending retrial. Sharon soon had a new lover, a man who listed his occupations as hairdresser and blacksmith. According to James Hays, it was love at first sight:
Once in Mexico, a series of misadventures landed Sharon in a seedy hotel room with yet another man. When he turned up dead, she told police she’d acted in self-defense. Mexican authorities didn’t believe Sharon’s story. Kinne was convicted of murder and sentenced to 13 years in prison. After serving less than five, she escaped in December of 1969 by squeezing through an unguarded window. She hasn’t been seen since. James Hays thinks Kinne had the smarts to really amount to something:
Some say that Kinne is still alive and well. She may have stayed in Mexico, or she may have gone to Alaska, where she has relatives. Among Kinne’s belongings found in Mexico was the .22-caliber target pistol that killed Patricia Jones. But, because of double-jeopardy laws, Kinne cannot be retried for that crime.
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Bill Blaski
Truly one of the unsolved mysteries. This lady has been missing since the late 60s. Where could she have been hiding? Did she reform her life and live amongst us?
Kofi
My name is Kofi from Ghana. Reading this case and story is very sad and cruel. Sharon is/was so evil.
Alice Stine
My family bought the house where Walter Jones was killed. No one would buy it, so we got it for cheap. Patricia Jones was killed a block or two away from the house. My father said he woke up one morning and saw Patricia standing at the end of the bed. I felt her. I never saw her. I feel she was a protector for me. I was 5 when we moved there. At 12, we played the Ouiji board. We made a point to not talk to her or Walter. We burned the board after the session.
Tom Nelson
Alice, Walter T. Jones, Jr., Patricia’s husband, is alive and well – we hope! – and living in Arizona. He was born on October 21, 1936.
Tony
My wife and I were her age, and our friend was a police Sargent familiar with the case. We followed this case to the end. We believe she did not escape, the guards grew tired of her BS and murdered her. She could not control herself , and stay out of trouble. WE knew someone who knew her, and they agree with us.
MV
This is quite true. The Mexican authorities were made aware of her history. She was basically a serial killer. It had to be done. There’s no way she escaped that prison. She was clearly led to believe she was being smuggled out – and killed off and buried. Some people are just better off dead. A woman like that would have never stopped killing.
Johnny Diamond
She would be in her 80s if alive so you have to wonder if she is deceased. No sightings in years..
Fritzybaby99
My grandfather was not the chief of police of Merriam at the time of this crime. He worked for the Jackson county sheriffs department at the time of this crime. He regarded this as the most frustrating case of his career and it bothered him until the day he died that she was never brought to justice.
Janna
So what happened to her kids? I hope they’re ok, not having a psycho for a mom around.
MV
Her son died in 2005, unfortunately; at the age of 46.
Regal Queen
Unsolved Mysteries, are there any updates on this story?
Unsolved Mysteries Post author
Unfortunately this case is still unsolved.
Nicole Evans
Sharon Kinne hung herself not long after. I’m a Past Life Retrieval Specialist and I found her past life, a client has very similar looks as well as she’s very afraid of the dark, which could be explained by Kinne’s Blackout Escape.
Mary
Give me a break!
Anonymous
Despite all she has done, I wonder if she was born later and committed all her crimes in more recent times if she still might have gotten away with all the evils she committed?
It also seems everyone has accepted without proof that she has changed her sex and become a man…… but I admit it does seem like something she would’ve done believing she can redo all she’s done, but as a man. And I believe she would do it all again, but this time correcting her mistakes!
Anonymous
As a child, I met Sharon Kinne at a BBQ my folks attended. It was after she was acquitted of killing her husband. I do not remember a port-wine stain on her face, but I do remember a roughly rectangular tan birthmark, maybe 1″x3″, on her calf.
alberto perez
I Dated that woman once before
Reagan
Are you serious
Wondering?
Wonder if this is the transgender version of Kinne?
http://www.dallasvoice.com/update-dallas-man-arrested-murder-transgender-partner-10129314.html
Trish
What male name did Sharon Kinne take on once she began living as a man?
Sherman Kinne
I am the former Sharon Kinne and it’s true I have had a gender transformation and now go by the name of Sherman. If the gentleman’s offer to marry me still stands I gladly accept but you must realize I now have a pecker and have grown quite fond of it so any further surgery is out of the question. I would like to know if you enjoy hunting and target practice? Guns are still a favorite hobby of mine
Anonymous
Really prove it.
Jonathan
I’m in the process of reading James Hays’ book about Sharon Kinne, and I am DISTURBED at how disgusting, sociopathic, and demented this woman was. I first saw her story on Deadly Women, a show I watch weekly, and I have to agree that Sharon Kinne was definitely born bad. Even though this monster escaped in 1969, and if she’s still alive, she’ll still have to answer to God about her crimes. The fact that she escaped just shows you the disregard she had for other human life.
Jonathan
I’m a student studying psychology in college, and I did a report on Sharon Kinne. She was DEFINITELY born bad and had zero regard for human life. First she kills several people in cold blood, gets found not guilty by the courts, and then ESCAPES prison when she’s finally guilty? That takes someone truly evil and manipulative to outsmart the Law like that. It’s scary to know that such a deranged, deadly woman can still be among us. She can be your neighbor…
Anon
What was Sharon Kinne name changed to. When she changed her gender? I am sorry to hear about your aunt as well that was taken by this monster!
hmmm
Probably died in a mexican prison…or not?… either way her attention seeking ways didn’t kill anyone else
Phillip jermaine Roberts
I would like to say first wow its so crazy you know I mean why be such beautiful and turn to a killer .but you know I feel like she can still be alive you know but now I think she realize what she have done and decided not to kill no more but who knows nobody knows but hey a woman like that I wouldn’t mine for her to be my wife.lol but she kill peoples and I don’t or should I say I couldn’t live with that
Anonymous
What was her name when she became a man? When did this happen?
Anonymous
look in grand haven mi
Anonymous
why there???
Anonymous
What happened to Kinne’s daughter/ children?
soaringhawk44
I’ve contacted this site before, even talked with the Detective on the case. Sharon Kinne was never found because authorities were looking for a woman. Sharon underwent surgery to become a man, married my aunt then killed her as well. Moving on, there was at least one more woman he took for everything she had, then died. Not to speak ill of the dead but I’m glad he/she is finally dead. He can’t use then kill another woman. This took place in the area of Akron Ohio.
John Campa
Wow that is both shocking and compelling makes sense that she would resort to such extreme measures to avoid capture however in the end he/she died a worthless loser good riddance.
dweebisis
you don’t have pics to prove this?
LUIE
Hello SOARINGHAWK44. Would you consider replying to me privately, @ luanneferris@yahoo.com? I am an amateur historian with an intrinsic interest in this case. You seem to be privy to a great deal of information, as evident in the various posts I have read. I would be pleased to review what ever anecdotal, and/or physical proof evidence you possess. Please know that I am disabled, & I’m asking to be patient with my typing, & response time. I hope these inquiries or not causing undue grief or stress, & please know, I am truly sorry for you & your family & hope you find some measure of justice, whom ever victimized your aunt. I look forward to hearing from you…. LUIE
briana
Fantastic